I was in the grocery store Saturday morning and had just turned my head for a minute or two to browse some items. It wasn't that long, but when I turned back toward my cart I noticed a man walking up in front of me.

I didn't give it much thought, put the item I selected in my cart and carried on. But when I reached for one of my coupons I noticed that three winning lottery tickets I had in my coupon envelope were gone. I had just seen them, so it didn't take long to deduce the man stole them. They were only worth $2 each, so I chalked it up to him needing the $6 more than me.

There are times when people consider me as someone who is cheap because I use coupons, sometimes spend months shopping around for the best prices, or because I return to stores for price adjustments when items come on sale. However, because I am a person who chooses to manage my money and spend it wisely I consider myself as frugal. There is always that battle between cheap vs. frugal.

I mentioned in a prior article in November that Americans waste 96 billion pounds of food each year. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, an average household of four throws away over $1.000 per year in food broken down, about 17 percent of dairy, 20 percent of vegetables, 15 percent of fruit, 18 percent of the grains, 25 percent of seafood, and 33 percent of the meat you buy goes to waste.

As I cleaned up the kitchen this past weekend, I found myself throwing away some stale bread, a very black banana, and leftovers that began the reproduction process through some furry babies. I couldn't help but think about the waste both in terms of food and my wallet and how I could avoid it.

Reuse and Recycle I try my best to live by these words. Whether it's plastic grocery bags or food containers, leftovers after dinner or even extra screws after a project, I try to save everything that might come in handy at a later time when you may need it most.

Believe me, though, that it might be the reason we have full junk drawers I'm running out of room.

We've all opened that one gift that makes us say to ourselves, 'What am I going to do with this?' Maybe you already have that item and don't really need another one. Yes, you could ask for the receipt and return it. However, it can be very awkward so we rather just put it away or you wait until next Christmas and give it away. I've done it, more than once.

Now don't judge me as I see it, I'm getting rid of unwanted stuff sitting around the house. Plus it can save you some money, time and the shopping hassle.

According to the USDA Economic Research Service, Americans waste 96 billion pounds of food every year. An average household of four throws away over $1,000 a year in food. Yet families are not the sole source of wasted food the USDDA states that grocery stores toss out $15 billion worth of unsold fruits and vegetables alone each year.

Grocery chains are more likely to throw away fruits, vegetables and even entire hams and roasts than donate to distribution centers. What many people don't know is that federal and state laws protect grocers from liability; however, stores expressed concerns that donated food could sicken recipients, even if it has yet to reach its expiration date. While some major chains donate food, others do not.

I love Black Friday. It's not that I have a lot to buy, or that I even go for the deals. It has more to do with the frenzy and excitement I feel like I'm taking a part in a nationwide ritual.

But there are the war stories of all the pushing, shoving, grabbing, honking, hours of waiting in line all for the allure of getting $10 blenders or 32' HD TVs for $149. In some rare instances, more serious things have happened that cast doubt on what the day was about it doesn't sound enjoyable when you read about people getting trampled in a mad rush across the aisles.

Halloween is a fun event for both kids and adults alike, but it's easy to rack up the expenses when you fork out for candy, decorations and costumes.

According to the National Retail Federation, the average American is expected to spend $80 on Halloween this year, up from $72 last year.

The hottest costume this year are all rooted in popular culture, including the TV show 'Game of Thrones,' and blockbuster movie superheroes such as Thor, Bateman and Spiderman. And since it is an election year, there is a lot of interest in political costumes.

I was watching a Food Network broadcast of a pumpkin carving challenge. It was amazing how these artists create such life-like, scary and detailed masterpieces, and it got me into the mood for some pumpkin carving.

This year, however, I'm also going to consider using my pumpkins for more than just decorating. Here are some ideas for turning your pumpkins into something delicious and festive:

The kids are back in school and as much as I jump up and down with glee, I feel somewhat melancholy because with each new school year means that they are growing up. But it also means harder homework (for both the kids and me) and dreadful lunch-making.

If it were solely up to me, I would just default to peanut butter and jelly. While my kids love PB&J, five days of it a week can get a little boring. But don't knock the venerable sandwich it's been the largest staple lunch sandwich in the U.S. for over seven decades and the average American child eats 1,500 peanut butter sandwiches by the time he/she graduates from high school.